Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-06-13
OUR OWN OLIVER TWIST.
"A MATCH FOR DICKENS LITTLE HERO
FOUND AT ST. 10.
Kidnapped from Chicago and Taken 10
Missouri To BE Used by an American
Fagin, He Risks His Life by Calling for
Help, and Is Rescued by the Police.

Help, and Is Rescued by the Police.
ST. JOSEPH, No. June ia veritable
Oliver Twist was iiscorersd in this city Sun
dav in Alexander Mckay, a smallsized IA
vear-cld boy, hailing from Chicago The
Facin in the case. as described by Mckay. Is
a large blaek-beaniei man. the chief OF
band Of robbers. whose headquarters are in
some den in the southern part of the city
The boys story, as told to the chief of police
and mayor Is as fellows:
Il live on Wells street, Chicago. Ny father
is cashier Of big house downtown, and
believe him TO be poor man. although he is
considered rich For some days had noticed
strange looking man hanging about in the
vicinity Of our house On several occasions he
asked me to walk with him in Lincoln park,
which did and we struck up quite an &C
auaintance Last Tuesday he invited me to
take drink from bottle he had in his
pocket. and did so. remember Of feeling
very dizzy Immediately afterward, and when
came To found myself and the man in
box car on a moving train. 1t was night and
was raining hard was very much fright
enei, and began to cry. The man told me
not to he scared. as be would not hurt me
Finally heard some one on top of the box
car when supposed TO he brakeman and
conlmencei to veil at the top of my voice to
attract his attention. The man, with a saw
age oath struck me hard blow On the head,
and said IL made any more noise
he would throw me out of the open door
"Wednesday morning we reached Davenport
Here the man who had carried me away was
joined by another man, who addressed him a.
Jimmy We staid in Davenport until night
and all had 10 eat was crust of brea,l I
didn't dare to speak tn policeman, for they
| said they would kill me il | did We spent
most of the day in saloon near the railroad
yards. Late at night we boarded another
freight train and came on TO St Joseph We
| reached here about noh Thursday They
| took me TO a saloon in the southern part Of
| the city. There were several other hard look
| ing men there The man who took me
away then told me that if | didn't
want 10 be killel | must follow his
| instructions to the letter He then told me
| that he was captain of band of thieves, and
| that was wanted because | was 80 small for
| my age and would make a splendid house
breaker. He sail that it was a rule of their
band to instantly kill any one who betrayed
| them He then made me take an oath to keep
their secret and lot more that can't re-
member, for | was too frightened They kart
me until last night, and the chief showed me
how to pick pockets, and last night they sent
me out with man they called 'Shifty,' OF
Snifty,' to see what could do in the wav of
| picking pockets.
| When they reached the Union station the
| boy yelled out TO the first policeman he saw
@Helpl Help!7 HIS companion with fright
full curse struck the hoy terrible blow on
the head and fed down the track. pursued by
Officers Henley ani Sweeney, but managed
| to escape. The boys story Is undoubtedly
true. He was questioned by the mayor, chief
of police. and city attorney, separately. and
to each told the same story, and in frank
manner that impressed them all with Its
truth
Mr.. Mckay. in Chicago. was telegraphel
to, who replied that the boys strange absence
had nearly driven bis wife crazy with grief
and instructed the mayor to give the boy
every attention, and telegraphed a sum Of
money to defray his expenses.
Young Mckay took the police to the saloon
in Pateetown, where he was kept, but no one
was found. as tire den was closed He ha.
agreed 10 stay here for few DAYS, and
every effort will he made TO capture the vii
laiHs